Isolation In Herman Melville's Bartleby The Scrivener

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An incredibly bizarre case of isolation can be found in Herman Melville’s “Bartleby the Scrivener.” A successful lawyer hires a new scrivener, named Bartleby, to join his small firm. Bartleby is an odd and quiet man who initially works well as a copyist, but increasingly declines to do other work and eventually refuses to do any work at all. His signature phrase, “I prefer not to,” demonstrates a way in which way he isolates himself. The lawyer observes that Bartleby is always in the office and eventually finds that Bartleby has taken up residence in the office. Bartleby compounds his isolation by refusing to interact with the lawyer and his coworkers. The lawyer’s actions in the beginning of the story may have contributed to this behavior: …show more content…
This is the case for the Lady in “The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The Lady is secluded in her castle on the island of Shalott, within close proximity to the famous Camelot. She is forbidden to look out her window onto the outside world, for if she does, a terrible curse will befall her. She spends her days watching the world through a magic mirror and weaving a magic web of the shadows she sees. It is obvious that the Lady detests her isolation: “’I am half sick of shadows,’ said/The Lady of Shalott. (71-72) The Lady yearns to break her isolation and join the people outside. One day, Sir Lancelot appears in the mirror and the Lady is so fascinated that she looks out her window to see him with her own eyes. The magic mirror breaks – signaling the beginning of the curse. Past the point of no return, the Lady finds a boat and rides down the river toward Camelot. “With a glassy countenance/Did she look to Camelot.” (130-131) She realizes she will not make it to Camelot – to the relief from her isolation – before time runs out. She lies down in the boat and drifts downriver, singing her final song. The people of Camelot discover her boat and surround her remains. Even Sir Lancelot appears, notes her beauty, and says a prayer for her. The fact that she never really breaks out of her isolation makes “The Lady of Shalott” a true tragedy.

Isolation, by force or by choice, can deeply impact the person experiencing it. The effects range from paranoia, to impulsive actions, and even to death. Each of the authors mentioned portray different forms of isolation through their characters. Overall, isolation challenges our basic human needs and calls into question the meaning of our lives. Literature, with it’s wide array of characters and their emotions, allows us a glimpse into the isolated
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